As a commitment to the 2012 Jubilee celebrations BEDMAX have today announced that they will be launching their ‘Jubilee Plant-a-Pine Tree Campaign’ at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials being held between Thursday 3rd and Monday 7th May.
BEDMAX, who produce tailor-made pine shavings for horses, will be giving away 1000 Scots Pine saplings to visitors from their stand at Badminton.
The Plant-a-Pine campaign is intended to celebrate the Royal Jubilee year, and underlines the importance that BEDMAX places on sustainability. But the initiative also crucially highlights the unique health benefits that horses and owners gain by using shavings made mostly from pine.
BEDMAX has been making shavings predominantly from pine ever since the company launched its pioneering, purpose-made bedding in the United Kingdom in 2000. The BEDMAX Jubilee Plant-a-Pine campaign enables BEDMAX to emphasize the importance of its main, scientifically-tested ingredient. So any visitor to Stand 13 at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials who collects a free sapling will not only find out more about the benefits of pine but also have the satisfaction of knowing they are helping to provide more health-giving trees for the future!
The anti-bacterial power of pine is particularly important as more and more owners turn to wood shavings or other wood product-based bedding for their horses, as BEDMAX Managing Director Tim Smalley explains: “We decided to use pine because our research justified the health advantages BEDMAX provided to horses in the stable. Pine has been used medicinally and as an antiseptic for centuries in cultures all over the world, but it wasn’t until recently that its anti-bacterial effects were scientifically proved. Now we have scientific evidence that pine really does kill off a wide range of harmful bacteria and fungi, and this is a factor that horse owners should be aware of when they’re choosing bedding.”
Scientific tests have shown that different types of softwood vary enormously in their anti-bacterial ‘performance’. They show that pine works much faster and more effectively than larch or spruce, the two types of wood most used for horse bedding.
- In two comparative tests using pine, larch and spruce, carried out by a group of scientists in Germany in 2002 and 2005, pine proved to be the most powerful and efficient killer of two of the most prevalent harmful bacteria: Escherichia coli (E.Coli) and Enterococcus faecium.
- In the case of E.Coli in particular, pine killed the harmful bacteria much faster and more completely than spruce or larch, and completely prevented regeneration, unlike the other two softwoods. (2)
Although BEDMAX has been using pine for 12 years, the company has been prompted to raise the profile of pine by some remarkable recent experience in the use of its pine shavings by sheep farmers at lambing time.
Tim gives further details: “Over the past two years a growing number of sheep farmers have been using BEDMAX pine shavings in their lambing pens, and many of them report that this is reducing their lamb deaths by a large proportion as well as saving money on expensive antibiotics.”
- The principal cause of death is E.Coli infection, which causes conditions such as scour or diarrhoea.
- Among farmers using BEDMAX, many report that they are virtually eliminating E.Coli infections and reducing lamb deaths.
He continues: “We think this is a significant practical demonstration of the hygienic properties of pine shavings. We set out in 2000 to produce a bedding that was as healthy and as hygienic as possible for horses. We believed then that using pine added an extra benefit to all the other benefits we designed into our shavings, and science has confirmed that belief. Using pine does not make our shavings more expensive, but it does add an hygienic advantage for owners and their horses. It’s another BEDMAX plus that makes our shavings even better for horses and even better value for owners.”
In the UK, pine predominately grows in the East and the South of the country while spruce tends to be found in the wetter western side.
They will continue to roll out their campaign at other events they support throughout the year, including the Equi-Trek Bramham International Horse Trials, The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, Blair Castle International Horse Trails and Your Horse Live.
Further details about the ‘Jubilee Plant-a-Pine’ Campaign and BEDMAX Shavings can be found at www.bedmaxshavings.com. Or come along and see the BEDMAX stand at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials to collect your free pine sapling, so you too can be a part of this campaign.
You can also follow us on Twitter at @BedmaxShavings.
Two key players in the UK wood fuel industry have worked with two local investors to launch re:heat – a new company which is set to become an eminent force in the energy market in the North of England.
Directors Ben Tansey and Neil Harrison have over 20 years in the wood energy industry between them, and believe re:heat will help transform the way energy assets are managed.
Based in Alnwick, in Northumberland re:heat will offer training, consultancy and advice on all matters regarding the production of heat from biomass, as well as handling the design, installation and operation of the right wood-fuelled systems. Their aim is to help businesses and individuals who are looking at investing in a boiler to convert wood to sustainable heat, or who want to know how to get the most out of their woodland resource.
Ben has been working in the woodfuel sector for the last decade, and has worked at both ends of the industry, from wood fuel supply and sustainability, to the design of plants and processes. He has run a number of biomass sector development projects, plus regional programmes of sector support including the Northumberland Firewood Fair and the development of several accredited fuel suppliers.
Neil has just as much experience, with a background in rural development, forestry and biomass boiler design and installation, he has spent the last few years working in an advisory capacity. He has worked for clients such as Scottish Government, Heineken, The Carbon Trust, Forestry Commission England, and a large number of farms, estates and other businesses, as well as finding time to speak on wood energy at conferences worldwide. Neil has an eye for opportunity, and is renowned for realising the potential in projects and maximising opportunities for his clients. He tells us the aims of himself and his business partners in their new venture;
“We saw a real gap in the market in this corner of the country for the development of wood as a source of renewable energy, and a major benefit of growing the industry here is that we are keeping money in the North East economy through developing and working with local suppliers, not outsourcing every project. Through the re:heat team, we aim to offer impartial advice and are committed to focussing on the right technical solution for the client – not necessarily the option that provides the highest margin for us.
When correctly managed, wood can deliver a significant reduction in carbon emissions compared to the use of fossil fuels, as well as deliver considerable cost savings for those making the switch. These cost savings have received a huge boost with the recent increases in oil prices – wood has nothing like the volatility of fossil fuel markets – and with the introduction of the new Renewable Heat Incentive, which is easily the most generous renewable energy support scheme in the UK at present”.
Of late, renewable energy has spent considerable time in the spotlight, and although somewhat overshadowed by the controversy surrounding wind energy, the generation of heat from modern, highly-automated wood-fired boilers is a technology whose time has finally come. The wood fuel sector has huge potential as a source of energy, and at a European scale, actually provides more energy than any other form of renewable energy. re:heat are a company uniquely placed to help businesses and individuals maximise this potential.
The Investors and two other Directors in the business, David Orange and Keith Puddephatt, also bring their own considerable experience to the re:heat team – David from a 25 year career in running a specialist forestry and arboriculture machinery business, and Keith as a prominent underwriter in the City of London.
David was the founder of Orange Plant, which he grew from a small arboriculture business working in the North East, to the UK’s largest hirer of specialist machinery in the sector. The company also became supplier to most of the non-specialist machinery hire companies in the UK, and counted several hundred district and county councils and many major utility companies as customers. David sold the business in 2010, and identified the opportunity to invest in and work with re:heat at the end of 2011.
Keith had a career as a prominent underwriter in the City of London, and brings considerable business management experience to the company. Alongside his financial acumen, Keith’s time working as an underwriter for private clients and governments across the globe gave him an unrivalled understanding of risk – something which is at the forefront of most peoples’ minds when making investment decisions. Keith’s experience in this regard is proving particularly useful to the company and its clients.
When thinking about sustainability it is important to seek the very best advice, re:heat support clients with an impartial and professional approach, and are committed to using the wood fuel sector to your best advantage.
When heating your business, school or home think renewable and think wood fuel. It all starts with a sapling.
The Wear Rivers Trust, are to feature on an up and coming episode of one of the BBC’s most popular family shows, the hit series, Countryfile.
In November 2011, the Environment Agency announced that the River Wear as one of the top ten most improved rivers in the country. This has resulted and the BBC contacting The Trust to find out how this has been achieved.
During the past two years the Wear Rivers Trust has been involved with improving fish passage all the way along the Wear from Sunderland, to its source near Cowshill in Weardale. As part of this they have been carrying out habitat improvements and setting up water quality monitoring teams
The Countryfile shoot involved project officer, Steve Hudson collecting invertebrate samples with Presented Julia Bradbury and discussing how these play a key role in monitoring the health of the River Wear and ultimately providing a crucial link in the food chain.
Caption – Steve Hudson explaining about the importance of water quality monitoring using stream invertebrates
Commeting afterwards, Project Officer, Steve Hudson said: “To get recognition of this magnitude is highly rewarding and a proud moment for me, the Trust and of course everyone who has contributed to the various projects we have set up and are currently running.”
“Meeting Julia Bradbury and the camera crew was very surreal to begin with but this publicity proves we are making swift progress and have a very promising future. It is also a testament to the hard work and commitment of so many people.”
The Trust is a member of the Association of River Trusts and works with the local community throughout the catchment of the Wear from the source in Upper Weardale to the coast to conserve, protect, restore and improve the rivers and streams of the catchment.
The episode on April 1st will feature items from a number of different conservation, angling and community groups who have all been involved in the rejuvenation of our fantastic river.
Caption – Countryfile presenter, Julia Bradbury getting stuck in with collecting a kick sample
Further information about the Trust can be found on www.wear-rivers-trust.org.uk
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All media enquiries to Barbara Huddart – Glendale PR, info@glendalepr.co.uk
07980850 394 – 01668283044
Wear Rivers Trust
Low Barns Nature Reserve
Witton-le-Wear
Bishop Auckland
County Durham
DL14 0AG
Tel: 01388 488867 / mob: 07849178866